At a time when sports games are known more for their diversity of modes than what it’s like to actually play them, it’s an act of heroism to resurrect the one sports franchise that put fun above all else. Unfortunately, the new “NBA Jam,” out now for Wii and coming to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on Nov. 17, has “Boomshakalaka” in its script, but not its soul.
Systems » Wii, PS3, Xbox 360Price » $49.99Rating » 2 out of 5 stars
Most revisionist updates to classic games get the gameplay right but ruin the feeling of the original by making “improvements” in the presentation department. “NBA Jam” does just the opposite, and deserves credit, at least, for looking and sounding pretty much perfect. The original announcer, Tim Kitzrow, is back to shout, “He’s on fire!” The players, composed of headshots appended to animated bodies, look like they were done by the guys behind “South Park’s” version of Saddam Hussein. The game even remembers the kind of things you might have forgotten if they weren’t there, like the ball flashing white when it’s loose.
